Raw 7-6-09

The WWE is certainly trying to keep things interesting over the summer months when most people are outside and not on their couches. Night of Champions is coming closer and WWE needed to clear up a few things before we get there. What did Raw provide? Actually a decent show with a sweet gm.

I have to explain that this will be a short Raw blog. My awesome DVD recorder was not hooked up to cable so I have to read the results on the Internet and understand where the WWE is going heading into the pay per view in a few weeks. Raw seemed to have a nice start. Last week we got a face gm so it only made sense that it was a heel or bad guy gm this week. The one and only Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase was the Raw gm for this evening. He starts the show with his son and tag partner, Legacy. I bet that it is a thrill being out together father and son. He announces a few matches for the evening. Rhodes vs Mark Henry and Ted DiBiase Jr vs Randy Orton. I love saying I called that last week on my Raw blog.

Edge and Y2J took on the Colons. Last week I told you that the WWE was taping this weeks Raw after last weeks live Raw. Well I hate to give you a spoiler but this Friday will be the last time we see Edge on television for quite sometime. The WWE was overseas this past week and Edge and Jericho had a match during the tour. Edge tore his Achilles and will be out for almost a year. The earliest reports have him out until March 2010. This is a real shame for a couple of reasons. Edge is one of the best performers in the WWE. Smackdown has been his show for last 2 years. Its the first time he has had a serious injury since 2003 when he went down with a neck injury. He was off last year for a few months playing an angle with Undertaker slamming him to hell at Summerslam, but he was not injured. I hope he gets back just in time for Mania next year. The match between the Colons and Edge and Jericho ended with the champs winning and Carlito turning heel and attacking Primo. The WWE must be kicking themselves with this move now knowing that Edge is hurt and the Tag champs have to drop the belts. Breaking up the Colons is going to hurt an already weak tag division.

Rhodes vs Henry. I didn't understand why last week Raw went off the air with Mark Henry beating the WWE champ. He is never over with the fans and not a great wrestler. Cody received the Worlds Strongest Slam and then rolled out of the ring. Henry won via countout. Raw needs more top wrestlers, but Henry isn't one of them.

The match I'm mad about missing is the DiBiase vs Orton match. This will be the one match I will watch for sure on hulu.com. I love both of these wrestlers. DiBiase has a ton of potential. I think he can be a major player if done correctly in the next 2 years. He didn't beat the WWE champ but you knew he wouldn't.

Swagger and MVP had a nice in ring promo. Now this is a feud I can get into. Swagger needs to be in a solid program and so does MVP. The background of both of these guys couldn't be any different. Swagger a college athlete and prestige career. MVP had a few mistakes growing up. In fact he did jail time. These 2 could have a few matches and then maybe 1 more for a number 1 contenders match for the US title.

I have to say, I was on a roll last week with my predictions. Evan Bourne took on the US champ Kofi. I knew this kid was going to be pushed right away. These two could have some awesome matches in the next few weeks. Evan got over and beat the champ in a non title match. Big Show came out afterward laying out both men. I think this is going to be some fun stuff. Show vs 2 small athletes. Evan and Kofi will have to be smart if they want to beat the Big Show. Its a completely different aspect than Show vs Cena.

The final match of the evening was HHH vs Cena for the right to face Orton at Night of Champions for the WWE title. I begged last week for either Cena to win or a triple threat match. I got my wish....again. I'm telling you I was on fire last week. The match was said to be very good. HHH was over with the crowd. Cena has always had problems getting over when he is in the same ring with HHH. Legacy came out and put a beat down on both men. Orton said since neither man won, he has the night of at the pay per view. Wait..wait for it... Here comes the Million Dollar Man. He makes the match HHH vs John Cena vs Randy Orton for the WWE title. I am excited for that. 3 of the biggest stars in the WWE going at it. I believe Orton will keep the belt, but the match could be a match of the year candidate.

Raw made a lot of sense tonight. The WWE put on a great show that actually made sense for a change. I just wish I had gotten to see it. I made sure I wouldn't make the same mistake next week, lol. Sorry fans. I will make it up to you with a great NBA free agency blog later in the week.

A few side notes:

I feel terrible for the Mickelson family. 2 months ago Phil's wife, Amy and now his mother is diagnosed with the same illness, breast cancer. My thoughts go out to them.

The same feeling goes out to Steve McNair's family. "Air" McNair was a fantastic NFL QB. If only he could have stayed healthy for his entire career, he would have been labeled one of the best. He was a leader on the field and a solid guy off. A sad story all around.

Not to be Debbie Downer this week but I also have to say good luck to Matt Hardy. He suffered an abdominal injury and just had surgery. He will be out 8 to 10 weeks. He was moved to Smackdown to last week in the big 15 man trade. Here's hoping for a full recovery and no more Jeff vs Matt matches when he returns.

Thanks for reading.
J Call